


Wolves of the Sea

by VolsungartheMighty



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirates of the Caribbean Fusion, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Curse of the Black Pearl, F/F, Hayden as Norrington, Jenna as Governor Swann, Liam as Elizabeth, M/M, Pirates, Pirates are very accepting, Somewhat, Theo as Will, Werewolves are still a thing, almost everyone is gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-04 15:24:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14595981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolsungartheMighty/pseuds/VolsungartheMighty
Summary: Liam Dunbar was the innocent son of Jenna Geyer, Governor of Port Royal for the British Empire. However, after the town is raided by a gang of pirates on board the Black Pearl, Liam is kidnapped and taken aboard, where he bargains for the release of the town. He doesn't expect everything that happens after.





	1. Dreams and Cermonies

**Author's Note:**

> This is my attempt at a movie Au! Thought everyone would like it. This will hopefully be the first of three multi chapter fics, since i'm hoping to cover the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies, if people want that. Any way, hope you enjoy.

Liam awoke with a start, surrounded by the darkness of his room. The memory – for it had been too vivid to be simply a dream – still stood out in his mind.

 

That ship, black hull and sails floating through the fog. Sails ripped and torn, while the wreckage of another ship lay strewn across the water.

 

And the boy he had found, floating on some wreckage.

 

Liam was… unsure of what the memory was meant to mean. He scrambled in the darkness, hand searching for the book of matches resting on his bedside table and the single candle he left there. Opening the book, he pulled out a match, striking it, shielding his eyes from the sudden flare of light, before placing the now flaming match to the wick of the candle. The wick caught alight, and Liam blew out the match.

 

The single candle did little to pierce the darkness of the room. The drapes were pulled shut, and Liam was sure it was still the early hours of the morning. He pulled back the covers, the cool night air of Port Royal making his skin break out in goose bumps. He didn’t move very far, as he opened the top drawer of his bedside table, pulling out the few items stored within. A quill and pot of ink, a book and a few other odds and ends, which he placed next to the candle.

 

He then reached under into the now empty drawer, hand searching for the small latch found at the very back. He found it with a surprised sound and gently pulled on it. The base of the drawer slid back, revealing a small, hidden and dust filled compartment.

 

It held only one item, and many would have thought it odd that Liam had hidden a _necklace_ of all things.

 

But it wasn’t any old necklace. At least, that’s what Liam thought.

 

He reached in and pulled out the necklace, a piece of twine wrapped around a golden medallion. He wiped his thumb over the face, removing almost a decade of dust and dirt as he did so, allowing the gold to shine brightly as he did so.

 

The face of the medallion was an obscure one, and one Liam had never been able to find elsewhere, no matter how hard he looked. It was an image of a skull, set into the centre of a radiating sun. The reverse of the medallion was exactly the same. Liam had the impression it might have once been, long ago, some kind of coin.

 

He moved across the room, finding the mirror that was hung on the wall, slipping the twine over his head, letting the medallion rest against his chest. It looked… good on him, if he was being completely honest.

 

A knock on his door shook him from his thoughts.

 

“Liam are you decent?” a voice asked through the wood.

 

 _Shit_ he thought, as he hurried to stuff the medallion under his night shirt.

 

Not a moment too soon, for he had just covered it with his shirt when the door was flung open, and his mother walked in, followed by a number of the household servants.

 

Governor Jenna Geyer was an immaculate woman. While it was uncommon for a woman to get to her position of Governess of Port Royal outside of marriage, she had managed to do the impossible and do just that. Her short, slim figure left many wondering how such a woman had become so powerful on her own standing, but her quick wit and sharp tongue proved them wrong every time.

 

She was currently wearing her usual formal attire of a simple, red dress which was pulled tight to her body, accentuating her slim figure. She wore a sash over her chest, dark blue with golden tassels, from her right shoulder to her left hip. The symbol of her status as Governor. Her knee high, high heeled boots gave her an extra few inches of height that brought her eyes to the same level as the men she worked with. She wore her hair up in a tight bun, not a hair out of place, with a small hat pinned in place. Not that it would do much against the burning sun.

 

She smiled when she saw him standing, candle in hand. She motioned to the servants she had behind her and they moved across the room, pulling the drapes away from the window. The blinding light of the sun poured in, searing Liam’s eyes before he was able to cover them in time. Almost dropping the candle in his rush to do so. Jenna merely chuckled before she said “I see you’re up. I have a present for you, Liam.”

 

Liam pulled his hand away from his eyes, blinking them rapidly as they got used to the sudden light. He hadn’t expected it to be so late into the day. He really had slept in. But he perked up upon hearing his mother had a gift for him.

 

As if noticing his reaction, she motioned to another servant, who brought forward a large box, wrapped with a thin white ribbon. The servant kept a hold of the box as Liam undid the ribbon, pulling off the lid to reveal a dark blue jacket.

 

He pulled it out of the box, revealing the dark blue wool, bright silver buttons running down the front. There was a belt running through loops along the waist. There were threads of silver running along the cuffs and collar, bright against the dark blue of the jacket. Liam looked in the box and found a bright white shirt on top of a pair of leather slacks and boots.

 

He smiled, a bright, broad smile that rivalled the sunlight pouring through the window, as he placed the jacket back in to the box and then pulling his mother into a hug, one she happily returned.

 

“I’m glad you like it Liam” Jenna said as she pulled back from her son, hand on his shoulders and holding him at arms-length. “You are such a handsome young man. You look so much like your father, you know. Every time I look at you, I think I’m seeing him again for a moment.”

 

Liam noticed the look in his mother’s eyes, the one telling him that she was going to cry. He pulled her back into a hug, where she buried her face in his neck in an attempt to stop her tears. She pulled back a moment later, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes in an attempt to stop what was left from ruining her makeup.

 

“You go along and get changed Liam” she said, backing out of the room while being followed by the servants. “Captain Romero is being promoted today, after all. Commodore Romero of the British Royal Navy. And a woman too, how wonderful. Some one you could aspire for, don’t you think?” she said that last bit with a wink, closing the door behind her as she did so.

 

Liam flushed slightly at the comment but didn’t let it distract him. He went about his morning routine, rushing due to the late time of morning. He scrubbed himself clean with warm water and soap, dried himself off with a towel before slipping into the clothes his mother had given him. He had just finished buttoning up the navy-blue jacket, the coat tails reaching past his knees, when there was a knock on the door.

 

“You may enter” Liam said, before a servant entered the room. The man coughed slightly before he spoke.

 

“I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but I could not find your mother” the man said. “A Mister Theodore Raeken is here to see you. About a commission your mother put in place?”

 

“Yes, of course” Liam said in reply. “Lead the way then.”

 

The servant simply nodded before he turned on his heel, making his way out of the room. Liam followed the man through the expansive mansion, leading him to the guest parlour. Not that Liam wouldn’t have known where to go. God no, he knew this place like the back of his hand. It was simple etiquette that the servant leads him, was all.

 

They finally stopped in front of the doors to the guest parlour, Liam standing tall in his new clothes while the servant opened the doors, announcing him to the single occupant.

 

He strode into the room, his boots clicking against the hard wood of the floor before coming to a stop behind just far enough into the room that the servant was able to close the doors behind him as he left.

 

Theo stood in front of the rooms single fireplace, a wooden case held under his arm. He was dresses in what Liam assumed to be his finest, as he wore a slightly patched, yet good quality jacket similar to Liam’s, only it was a dark grey. The buttons would have been wooden painted in silver, and Liam could see where the silver paint had worn away from the edges, revealing the grain of the wood.

 

Theo’s shoulder length hair was pulled back into a short tail at the back of his head, a piece of twine holding it back, and the look he made took Liam’s breath away. It wasn’t often that Liam felt this way about anyone, but Theo could always make Liam feel like this.

 

“Good morning Theo” Liam said, a little louder than he would have in order to get the mans attention. “I see you’re here to deliver what my mother ordered?”

 

Theodore turned, smiling at Liam as he did so. “Good morning to you too, Mister Dunbar. And yes, your mothers order is finished. I stayed up most of the night doing the inlay work your mother asked of me.”

 

He placed the wooden case on a table, opening it with near reverent hands. Liam knew that, despite how Theo had been the one to craft the sword in the case, his master would be the one getting the praise.

 

It was a fine sword. Similar to the ones he found through out the training yard when he was neglecting his studies. He usually hated using swords, so he tended to shy away from anything to do with them. This one that Theo held, however, was one more for use in ceremonies, Liam knew. He had, after all, been present when his mother had placed the order. The tassels that hung off the pommel would get in the way during a fight, and a dexterous fighter might be able to pull on them and rip the sword from its wielders hand.

 

It was definitely a sword that wasn’t meant to see battle.

 

Liam took the sword from Theo’s hands, admiring the work the young man had put into making it while he went on about the measurements and details. The golden inlay on the pommel and hilt stood out against the steel of the blade, and the wooden scabbard was painted in a fine lacquer of a blue so deep Liam almost thought it was black. When Theo was finished, he took the sword from Liam’s hands, before sheathing the blade and putting it back into the wooden case.

 

Jenna chose that moment to walk in, grabbing the attention of the blacksmith, and he began to go over the details of the sword, as Jenna had ordered them. He didn’t pull it out of the case to show her this time, however.

 

When they were finished, a servant took the case, as Jenna, Liam and Theo made their way out of the manor. Jenna said her goodbyes to Theo before she climbed into the carriage waiting to take them to the young captain’s promotion.

 

Theo turned to Liam, a look on his face that was a cross between a smile and a frown. “It was a pleasure seeing you again, as always, Mister Dunbar.”

 

“Please, Theo, how many times must I tell you to call me Liam?” he asked, smiling at the slight blush on the blacksmith’s face.

 

“At least one more time, Mister Dunbar, as always” Theo said, a small smirk on his face. Liam held his hand out, and Theo grasped it in a firm hold, shaking it, before Liam let go, climbing into the carriage beside his mother, who smiled at him. The carriage was pulled forward and he looked back at Theo, still standing where Liam had left him, smiling at the man.

 

He had changed so much from the little boy they had pulled from the wreckage of the ship eight years ago. _Though_ Liam thought _we all have in a way_.

 

***

The ride to the fort was a long and bumpy one. Liam figured it was one of the downsides of being the son of the governor. Their manor sat as far away from the as they could get, and so they had to pass through the entire town before they even made it to the fort.

 

The actual event was boring in Liam’s honest opinion. Stuffy old men promoting a stuffy young woman to a position she probably wasn’t yet prepared for. But from what Liam had seen of this new Commodore, Liam knew she was competent enough to do her job.

 

But what was most distracting about the event was the heat of the day. Something he vaguely remembered from his early life in London was the distinct _lack_ of heat like this. Even though he loved the new clothes his mother had given him, they were stifling in the heat. He could feel the sweat as it trickled down his neck and back, as it pooled on his brow and dripped into his eyes. And he was _starving_. His sleep in had left him no time to eat before they had left, and the pains in his stomach was causing him to feel faint.

 

After the ceremony, the new commodore made her way over to Liam, a broad smile on her face. She wore the sword at her side that Jenna had commissioned for the event.

 

“It’s a pleasure to see you here as always, Liam” Romero said in a cheery voice. “Would you walk with me?”

 

Liam couldn’t speak, the heat and hunger making him too faint, so he simply nodded, thankful that his legs moved. He followed Romero as she led them to an outlook at the edge of the cliff, stopping right before the edge. Liam leaned against the arch of bricks holding a bell in place, fighting against the nausea roiling in his stomach.

 

“You’re very handsome” Romero says once they had stopped, far enough away that no one could hear them. “I’m sorry if I seem forward, but I must speak my mind.”

 

Romero turned away from Liam, looking out over the bay of Port Royal, before she spoke again.

 

“This promotion has thrown into stark relief that which I have not yet achieved. Marriage.” She turned to face Liam as she said that before she continued. “Marriage to a fine young man such as yourself. You have become a fine young man, Liam.”

 

Liam was… slightly shocked at what she was saying, but he suddenly couldn’t breathe. His clothing was too constrictive, too tight. The heat was too much. The only thing he gasped out was “I can’t breathe.”

 

Romero turned away as she said “Yes, I’m a bit nervous myself…”

 

But Liam heard nothing after that. His vision went black and he heard a faint ringing in his ears as his knees suddenly gave way. He had a sudden sensation of weightlessness, wind rushing through his hair, before he hit the water below.

 

As he sunk to the bottom of the bay, the medallion he wore around his neck came loose from his shirt, floating in front of him in the water. Just before he lost consciousness, he noticed as it… turned by itself to face the sunlight streaming through the water. With the light reflecting off of it, it let out a pulse, one that pushed itself through the water further than he could see.

 

And then he remembered nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

The next thing Liam knew, he was lying on his back, hard wood pressing into his shoulder blades, as a shabbily dressed man with bad breath loomed over him.

“What’s that you’ve got there?” the man asked, his hand too close to Liam’s neck for comfort, and he squirmed away, his lungs burning as he took in great heaving breaths.

Something fell against his chest, and he found the medallion sitting on top of his shirt. Whoever this man was, he seemed to know what he was looking at.

It was then that Liam realised he was surrounded by people, British troops in their bright red uniforms, Hayden in her formal attire for the ceremony. His mother stood just behind the ring of soldiers, their guns pointed towards the man still looming over Liam.

Hayden, too, had her sword out, the very one Jenna had commissioned for the ceremony, held against the man’s throat.

“Don’t move unless you wish to die” Hayden said, her voice cold as Liam scrambled back before getting to his feet, his mother rushing forward to wrap him in a hug, and it was then that he realised he was suddenly freezing. A warm blanket was wrapped around his shoulder and he leaned into his mother’s warm embrace. Tears stung at his eyes at the experience he had gone through, but he smothered them, not wanting to look weak in front of the soldiers.

The man was now standing, and Liam felt sorry for the man. He’d only tried to save him, and instead he was being treated like a criminal. So he rushed forward, pushing through the gathered soldiers and grabbing Haydens sword arm, pushing the sword down and away from the man.

“Please, Commodore, don’t kill him” Liam said, gathering everyone’s attention. “He saved my life, after all.”

Hayden eyed him critically, before nodding her head. The soldiers raised their weapons to the sky as Hayden lowered her sword and sheathing it at her side. “I suppose thanks are in order” she said, holding her right hand out for the man to take. The man hesitated slightly, before taking Hayden’s hand. She moved quicker than Liam had expected, gripping the mans arm tight and pulling his sleeve up in one fluid motion, revealing a raised _P_ branded into his wrist. Liam heard his mother gasp, and Liam himself frowned, knowing what the brand meant.

This man was a pirate. And by the looks of it, not a very good one.

Hayden was talking, but Liam wasn’t paying attention as he instead enjoyed the fact that he was still living. Liam didn’t care what the man had saved him. He was a pirate, and all pirates deserved the hang mans noose.

However, as Jenna started leading him away, there was a commotion amidst the guard as the pirate managed to get away. Liam watched as he unhooked the rope holding a cannon in the air, the cannon dropping and shattering the dock beneath it. He was glad it didn’t hit anyone on the way down.

Shots rang through the air as the soldiers fired at the fleeing pirate, but every one of them missed their mark. Liam felt a hand tapping his shoulder, drawing his attention away from the commotion and to his mother.

“I think we’ve had enough excitement for one day, yes?” she asked, a small smile on her face. Liam simply nodded at her as she hurried ahead, dragging Liam behind her.

They made it to their carriage quickly, Liam unsurprised to find it sitting at the edge of the dock. How long exactly had he been unconscious for any way?

But he was safe now, sitting across from his mother as the carriage carried them away to the manor. His mother leaned forward, gripping his chin, looking into his eyes. And then suddenly, she was in tears, launching herself so she had her arms wrapped around Liam’s shoulders.

“I thought I lost you today” Jenna gasped into Liam’s shoulder, and suddenly Liam was crying too, reaching a hand up and rubbing his mother’s back in concern.

“I’m still here mother” Liam whispered into her shoulder. “I’m not leaving any time soon.”

Jenna pulled back, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing at her eyes, but it was a lost cause. Her makeup was ruined already, so she used it to wipe away as much of the stuff as possible.

“I know, I just thought… You fell, and you didn’t surface and…” She gasped again, but her tears had stopped falling. Liam took the handkerchief from her hands, finding a clean spot and wiping away his own tears. Her hands free, Jenna fished through her pockets, and she let out a small cheer when she found what she was looking for.

She pulled out a thin chain, on the end of which was a heavy pocket watch. She silently took the handkerchief from Liam’s hands and pressed the cool metal to his palms. His fingers curled around it, and he brought it up closer, so he could get a better look at it.

It wasn’t the simple design of smooth, polished metal Liam had seen most of the staff use. It was, instead, carved with intricate designs, two different one’s on each face. One side was that of a hunter, horn raised with a rifle slung across his back, hunting dogs at his feet. The other side, the side that opened, was that of a fox, hiding amongst the grass and leaves of the forest.

Liam opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what to say. It was beautiful, that much he was certain about. But the question he asked instead was, “Where did you get this?”

Jenna smiled at him, a broad, loving smile that she only ever used on him. “It’s from London. And it used to be your fathers.”

Liam’s head snapped up, looking into his mother’s eyes.

“It was your fathers engagement gift to me” Jenna said. “He couldn’t afford a ring at the time, but he was able to afford this. I loved him, and he could have given me nothing and I would have married him. I wanted to give it to you earlier, but we got distracted. I’m glad I didn’t, however. I’m not sure it would have survived the water. But I want you to have it, so even if you do leave, god forbid, you’ll have something to remind you of me.”

Liam smiled as he leaned over, pulling his mother into another hug, the watch clutched tightly in his right hand. “I’m not going anywhere any time soon mum” Liam said as fiercely as he could. “I promise you that.”

***

Theo was happier than he had been in a while.

He’d successfully completed the sword the governor had commissioned and delivered it on time too. He’d even been able to see Liam, and moments like those were always great, bringing a spring to his step.

He wandered through town, picking up small bits and pieces from the market before making his way back to the black smiths. But as he was unlocking the door to the forge, he could he a commotion going on inside. Curious, and a little bit wary, he opened the door as quietly as he could.

He crossed the threshold, closing the door behind him, finding the mule they used to help work the forge walking along its usual path, everything in motion as if he were working on something. But there was no one in sight.

He placed his purchases on the ground carefully before dropping down from the raised ledge the entrance was on, taking a few long, quick strides across the dirt covered floor and resting his hands on the poor mule. Black lines immediately ran up his arms as he leached the pain from the mule, and he let out a soft, cooing sounds to calm her down further.

Once she had stopped moving and the forge was silent once again, he stood away from the mule, looking around the blacksmiths, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

He walked into the back, finding his teacher lying in his chair, a bottle of wine still clutched in his hand, just where Theo had left him. He looked around again, eyes grazing over the work bench, finding a hammer resting on the anvil.

That was odd, since Theo knew for certain that he had put it away before he had left.

But what was most curious was how, sitting a little further along the work bench, was a tricorn hat, sitting atop a holster with a single pistol sitting inside. He went to reach over and pick them up to have a closer look when the flat of a blade slapped the back of his hand.

“I wouldn’t touch those if I were you” a voice said, and Theo let his eyes travel up the length of the blade, finding a tall, skinny man holding the hilt of the sword, a glare directed at him. He was dressed… rather shabbily, and Theo knew what he was looking at.

“You’re the pirate they’re looking for” Theo said. “They say you attacked Mr. Dunbar.”

“I actually saved the little lordling” was all the pirate said, pointing the tip of the sword at Theo’s chest and stepping forward, making Theo step back so he wasn’t skewered. “But if that’s how the Royal Navy wants to skew things, let them.”

The man stooped to pick up his pistol and hat, placing the hat on his head and the pistol’s holster around his waist, somehow managing to do it all without lowering the sword.

But while the man was distracted, Theo jumped to the side, grabbing a hold of a sword and bringing it up to clash against the mans.

The pirate stilled, as if suddenly realising that Theo could fight back.

“I suppose introductions are in order” The man said, taking off his hat and making a little bow. “Captain Stiles Stilinski, at your service. And you are?”

“Theo Raeken” Theo bit out, his sword never wavering. “And I don’t care for your name, pirate. I should call for the Navy.”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you” Stilinski said.

And then he moved, sword swinging from the right. Theo brought his sword up, steel clanging against steel. Stilinski made another three swipes with his sword, and each time, Theo met Stilisnki’s sword with his own.

“So you know how to use that thing?” Stilinski remarked, taking a step to the left. “So if I were to do this…”

He took another couple of steps, swinging his sword. Theo mirrored his movements, taking a few steps to his own left, parrying each of Stilinski’s swings.

“You do know your stuff” Stilinski said with a nod.

He moved in the opposite direction, each step adding another swing. A few moments later, Theo realised his mistake. Up until now, Theo had been between Stilinski and the door, but their movements had changed that. Now, Stilinski was between Theo and the door.

“I think that’s all for today, don’t you?” Stilinski said with a bow, taking a few steps backward so he was out of Theo’s reach, before turning on his heel and making his way to the door.

And Theo didn’t know what to think, suddenly seeing red. A low growl rumbled through his chest, echoing in the near silent forge. He looked between the bar over the door, Stilinski and the sword still clenched in his hand, and without a moments hesitation, threw the sword across the room.

The tip of the blade buried itself into the wooden bar keeping the door locked, just as Stilinski went to raise it. Theo’s still growled, his fangs descending from his gums and his claws popping out, his features becoming more and more wolfish as Stilinski turned from the door to eye Theo.

“So you’re a werewolf” Stilinski said, not bothering to hide his curiosity. His eye’s narrowed as they met Theo’s, and he took a step back. “And an Alpha too, it seems.”

Theo growled again, not wanting things to escalate, but knowing that if they would, both he and the pirate would see the hangmans noose by morning.

“Don’t do anything stupid, pirate” Theo growled out, his words slurring slightly due to his fangs. “Pirate or not, if I harm you, I go to the hangman tomorrow.”

“Well then, it means I can hurt you as much as I want, doesn’t it?” Stilinski said, raising his own sword as he stepped away from the door.

Theo stepped forward, despite his warning, but was thankfully stopped as someone started banging against the entrance to the forge. Theo let his features return to normal, fangs and claws slipping away, as someone shouted, “Royal Navy, open up.”

“The pirate’s in here” Theo shouted, sending a smirk Stilinski’s way, but frowned at the sound of a pistol being cocked.

Stilinski had pulled his pistol free, aiming it at Theo.

“This is not meant for you, but I will use it if you don’t move” Stilinski said, voice cold, as he aimed it at Theo’s head.

Theo froze, not wanting to be shot, but also knowing he would be executed for helping the pirate to escape. But the crack of breaking glass echoed through the forge as the door burst in, and Stilinski fell to the ground, unconscious. Behind him stood Mr. Brown, broken bottle in his hand.

“It seems that Mister Stilinski has a dawn appointment with the gallows” a woman declared as she walked through the broken-down door of the black smith, looking down at the fallen pirate. “Thank you, Mister Brown, for your efforts in stopping this… nefarious fiend.” She looked around as Theo’s master muttered his thanks, and her eyes fell on Theo. “You, werewolf. What was he doing? Why was he here?”

Theo stood his ground, not wanting to get on the wrong side of the law. It was easier said than done often time, due to his status. “He was here when I arrived back from a delivery, ma’am. I don’t know what he was doing, but he attacked me when I found him, ma’am.”

She nodded her head and turned from him, another soldier coming up to her and muttering in her ear. They must have forgotten, or didn’t know, of Theo’s heightened sense of hearing, and he was able to hear every word they said.

“Commodore Romero, the Governor and her Son have returned home safely” the soldier said. “The governor wishes to know the current state of affairs with the pirate.”

“Tell her we have apprehended the pirate and he shall see justice” Commodore Romero whispered back. She turned around to the other soldiers with her. “Well then? Put some manacles on the pirate and get him to the fort. We don’t have all day.”

Theo watched, still rooted to the spot, as the soldiers clamped fresh manacles on the pirates wrists, and left, lead out by the new Commodore. He was finally returned from his thoughts when Mister Brown shook his shoulder.

“What are you waiting for, an invitation? Fix the door, and then get started on the next order” He said, making his way back into the shop, as Theo let out a sigh.

He wished things were different, but he didn’t know what to do about them, so did as Mister Brown had said.

As he did so, he tried unsuccessfully to clamp down on the growing dread of something bad happening in the near future.

***

Liam lay in bed, a book in his hand, but the words tumbling together as his thoughts made it near impossible for him to read.

The maids had put the bed warmer under his sheets just before they had left, making in nice and warm underneath the covers. And yet, despite his comfort, he just could not seem to concentrate on the book in his hands.

He stood from the warm comfort of his bed, walking across the room and opening up the French doors that led to a small balcony that overlooked the grounds of the Manor and all of Port Royal beyond.

It was a beautiful sight, bathed in the light of the full moon. Lights slowly flickering out as people put out their lamps and went to bed. The light of the moon reflecting off the waters of the bay and the white sails of the ships.

He leaned forward, resting his elbow on the railing and his hand on his fist, eyeing the sight below him. It was calming, and he was beginning to feel sleepy as he continued to watch.

But something along the shoreline of the bay caught his attention, and he shook the cobwebs of sleep from his mind to better concentrate.

It looked like someone waving a torch at a ship in the bay.

And then the sound of cannon fire started, echoing out across the town, large dust clouds, small from this distance, billowing into the sky where the cannon balls landed. The sound of screams echoed up to Liam, and he couldn’t help but muffle a gasp as another blast of cannon fire rocked the manor.

They’d hit the house, it seemed.

But what was more pressing was the fact that Liam could see a horde of shabbily dressed pirates running up the road to the manor, easily overpowering the guards at the gate and pushing the heavy iron open.

Liam tore his eyes from the sight in front of him, rushing back inside and out his room, running down the stairs two at a time as there was a knock at the door.

“No” he shouted as a butler walked up to the door and opened it, finding the horde of pirates on the other side.

“Hello” the one at the front, a tall, long haired blond woman said in a sweet voice, before raising a pistol and shooting the butler square in the head.

The butler crumpled to the ground as Liam let out a scream, gaining the attention of the pirates.

“That one” the woman said, pointing at Liam as he began to make his way back upstairs.

The pirates surged forward as one, the woman and a few others going up the stairs in Liam’s direction, while the rest began to search the house for anything of value.

Liam made it back to his room, slamming the door shut and locking it, before pushing a large, heavy chair in front of it for good measure. He let out another scream as he turned, finding one of the maids who had left earlier cowering in his room.

“It’s you they’re after sir” the frightened woman said, running forward and clutching his shoulders.

“Why would they be after me?” Liam said in confusion, as someone started banging on the door.

“You’re the governors son, sir” the frightened woman said, as if that was all the answer he needed.

Liam growled, but bit off any retort he had, knowing time was limited. He looked around the room, knowing there was no where to run, and spotted the open French doors.

“Close the curtains over the door to the balcony and hide there till they leave. I’ll find my own way out” Liam said, pushing the woman in the direction of the balcony, before grabbing the bed warmer and running into his adjoined bathroom.

He saw the woman close the curtains, the fabric stilling only moments before the door to the bedroom burst open, the chair in front of it being pushed to the side. He heard feet along the floorboards and saw a shadow as someone made there way into the bathroom, and he swung the heavy metal bed warmer, let out a successful ‘ _whoop_ ’ as he felt it connecting with something.

He rushed forward finding someone still standing in the doorway, the woman from earlier crumpled in a heap on the floor. Liam swung the bed warmer over his head, and the man caught it. Liam struggled for a moment to wrench it from the mans grip, before noticing the lever just above his hands. He smiled at the man as he pulled it, red hot coals falling onto the man from above.

As he screamed in pain Liam ran around him and out the room, running down the hall and into the dining room. He slammed the door behind him, locking it again, but he was unable to push something in front of it this time. Everything was too far away or too heavy to move.

He ran to the mantel, grabbing one of the swords that made up the family coat of arms and pulled, pulling the whole thing off the wall. He struggled for a moment, unable to pull the weapon from the display, before giving up and running to the other side of the room. He opened a window to distract the pirates and then opened the door to a closet next to it and getting in and shutting the door behind him quietly.

Moments later the two pirates, the tall blond woman he had hit with the bed warmer and the thin, brown haired man he had dropped coals on, broke through the door, eyes searching the room.

“ _Sweety”_ the blond cooed out in a high-pitched voice. But it sounded wrong to Liam’s ears. Like acid on the tongue, bitter and full of hate. “Come out, come out where ever you are, _sweety_.”

Liam shivered as she said it again, the brown-haired man muttering it softly behind the blond woman. They went quiet, and Liam tried to watch them through a small crack in the door when the blond stepped in front of the door, making Liam jump.

The door was suddenly flung open and a pistol shoved in his face when he shouted “Parlay.”

The pirates both froze, a look of pure, abject rage rolling across the blonds face, while one of shock slid into place over the mans face.

“What did you say, _sweety_?’ The woman asked, slow and steady, voice low. It was a voice that sent a shiver of terror through Liam, making him back up as far as he could into the closet.

“P-p-parlay” Liam said again, this time not as sure as he had been. At least he would have had a quick death if he’d kept his mouth shut, it seemed. “I-I wish to speak with your captain, under parlay.”

The woman snarled, her brown eyes seeming to flash bright green for a few moments before returning to their normal brown. Liam cocked his head to the side, curious, but didn’t say anything.

“I suppose… under _parlay_ … we should take you to our captain, _sweety_ ” she said.

And he was suddenly being manhandled out of the cupboard, two hands gripping his upper arms tightly as he was dragged out of the dining room and down the stairs. He could only watch in horror at the carnage the house was in as the pirates dragged him along.

He refused to kick and scream, as they so obviously wanted him to as the jeered every time they passed something they had ransacked. Liam had, after all, asked for the meeting, and so he refused to act in any way that might… undermine him.

They were near the bay when Liam heard his name being called, hard to hear over the sound of people screaming, but it was there. He whipped his head around, looking for the source of the sound, finding Theo standing not far away, and axe in one hand and a hammer in the other. But… his eyes were red, bright and crimson, shining in the darkness of the night.

“Theo” Liam shouted, getting the mans attention, but it seemed to be the wrong thing, as a passing pirate hit him in the head with a large, iron oil lamp. Theo crumpled to the ground without another word.

Liam fell silent as he was pulled into a long boat that quickly cast off, out towards a large, black ship resting in the middle of the bay.

As they drew closer, Liam realised that the ship seemed familiar. He couldn’t seem to pinpoint where, whether he had heard stories of it or if he had actually seen it. His hand idly wandered up to his neck, clutching at the medallion that hung just under his shirt, and he suddenly remembered where he had seen the ship.

Eight years ago, on the crossing from England, when they had pulled Theo from the waters.

He was pulled from the long boat and forced up a ladder nailed into the side of the ship, and then he was standing on the deck of an actual pirate ship.

The deck was a bustle of activity, crew running back and forth, rolling kegs of gunpowder and carrying cannon balls the size of Liam’s head. Loud bangs issued from each side of the ship someone below ordered the cannons to fire, the ship rocking with each blast.

“Captain Hale” the blonde shouted over the din. “We have someone who has invoked parlay.”

The surrounding crew froze in their tracks, but a gunshot pierced the air, sending them back to work. A tall man pushed through the crowd, holstering a smoking pistol, wearing a broad brimmed hat with black feathers in it, and a dark jacket over an off-white shirt.

The blond curtsied, despite wearing trousers, eye’s never seeming to leave Liam’s face. The man eyed Liam as well, and Liam shrunk in on himself a little, not liking the sudden attention he was getting from the pirates. This was a really bad idea.

“Someone has invoked parlay?” Hale said, voice oddly soft, but with a hint of a command behind it. “And who might you be, lad? Does it be ye who invoked parlay?”

Liam eyed the man, the glare he sent to the captain sending a chuckle rolling through the captain and the surrounding crew. He straightened his back, standing to his full height before he spoke. “Captain Hale, I wish to negotiate the cessation of hostilities against Port Royal” He said, thanking his mother for all the training he had received in ‘bureaucratic nonsense’.

Hale chuckled again. “There’s a lot of long words there, young sir, and we are nought but humble pirates. Please, a little simpler?”

Liam sighed, resisting the urge to shout. “Fine. I wish for you to leave, and never come back. I wish for you to end the raping, the pillaging and the raiding. End the slaughter. And you may yet still live.”

That brought another round of laughter from the surrounding crew, a few more blasts from the cannons below ricking the ship. Liam let out a low growl, unable to stop the frustration welling up inside him. Why did he even risk his life if it seemed he was just going to be killed anyway?

When the laughter quietened down, Hale spoke yet again. “I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request.”

“So, you’re saying no” Liam said at the same time Hale said, “Means no.”

Hale froze, having not expected someone to speak over him. But Liam’s frustration boiled over, and he reached his hand up to his neck, pulling on the cord holding the medallion with a rough _“fine”_. He stormed over to the edge of the deck, holding his hand over the edge, the medallion dangling in the air over the water. “Since this is what you’re here for, if you don’t leave, I’ll drop it.”

Hale laughed again, and damn him to hell that laugh was grating on his nerves. “Our holds are bursting with swag” Hale said, laughter still bubbling from his lips. “That gaudy trinket would mean something to us? Why?”

“I’ve seen this ship before” Liam said in exasperation, watching the crew. “Eight years ago on the crossing from England.”

“Did you now?” Hale said, as if not believing Liam.

“Fine then” Liam said, voice low. “If it’s worthless, there’s no point in keeping it…”

And he let the cord slip, the medallion dropping through the air before lurching to a stop as Liam tightened his grip again. But the crew had reacted as expected, rushing forward to stop Liam, confirming his suspicions.

Liam had a knowing look on his face as he let out a soft _“so it is worth something”_ , nodding his head and pulling his arm back from over the ledge.

Hale stepped forward, stepping away from the crowd and closer to Liam. Liam took a step back. “What’s your name, boy?”

Liam hesitated for a moment. Did he use his surname, or did he use someone else’s? The maid’s words from earlier floated to his mind and he spoke up, voice steady. “Liam Raeken. I’m a gardener for the governor household.”

“Are ye now?” Hale asked, holding out his hand, and inquisitive look on his face. “You wouldn’t mind if I looked at your hands would you?”

Liam nodded, raising one hand to Hales outstretched one, keeping the other balled in a fist around the medallion at his side. Hale’s hands were cold as he flipped Liam’s hand around, running his fingers over the palm.

“A curious thing, hands” Hale said, voice a whisper, as if sharing a secret to Liam. “They tell a story. Mine… covered in calluses, scars and cuts, they tell of a life of sailing, of hard work and toil. A little lord, on the other hand… well, he would have hands as smooth as a babies bottom, because he never had to work a day in his life.” Hale looked down at Liam’s hand, as if finding everything to be in order.

Liam looked down at his hand, covered, as Hale had said, in calluses and cuts. No scars, and he severely hoped he would never get any. But his mother had made him help her in her garden, the calluses forming from hours of hard work. He was now very thankful that she had made him help her.

“Now, if you give us that pretty little medallion, we’ll turn our sails away from here and ne’er return” Hale was saying, hand still outstretched in Liam’s direction. “What say ye?”

Hesitantly, Liam raised his left hand up to Hale’s outstretched hand and dropped the medallion in Hale’s hand. Hale immediately grinned, cruel and wicked, turning on his heel and barking orders to set sail immediately.

Liam stood frozen, as if unable to comprehend what he was listening to, before he stormed forward, yelling, “We had a deal Hale. I have to go back to shore.”

He’d grabbed Hale’s arm as the captain turned, glaring down at Liam. “Do not talk of deals with me, boy. Our deal said nothing about you returning to shore, so we shall expend no effort to do such a thing. So welcome to the Black Pearl, Mister Raeken. It looks like you’ll be here for quite a while.”

Hale laughed as he walked off, and Liam was dragged off, thrown into the captain’s cabin, as if he were some kind of prisoner. And he really was a prisoner, Liam realised. But he wasn’t sure why he wasn’t being thrown in the brig. He wasn’t sure why that was, but he supposed he would find out soon.


End file.
